During the 2022-23 school year, the Barbara Shea Lower School Garden underwent a series of renovations to improve the life of the garden and the functionality of this special outdoor experiential learning space.

Led by members of the RCDS Sustainability Committee, Facilities Team, and FLIK Dining Services,  the Lower School Garden now boasts more gardening beds at a higher height for students, with designated beds for Pre-K through Grade 3 classes, Grade 4 sustainability team members, and students who participate in the Extended Day program.  Additionally, new features to the garden include a large table for outdoor classes and a larger practice planting bed for lessons. AP Environmental Science students also helped assemble new sprinklers and two new mini compost tumbler bins, which are smaller in size and easier for Lower Schoolers to use.

Around the perimeter of the gardening beds, student gardeners will notice the space is equipped with two hanging hoses and the compost system Subpod. The Subpod tool, an in-ground compost system, can be put in a raised garden bed and contains instructions on how users can add food scraps, coffee grounds, dry leaves, and even grass clippings to enrich the soil. 

Crops grown in the garden include corn, beans, tomatoes, broccoli, peas, and carrots. Thank you to the Sustainability Committee, RCDS Facilities team, and the FLIK Dining Services team (including Pedro, the Garden Manager) for the planning and hard work that went into the renovations. We look forward to seeing what our students do in the garden in the 2023-24 school year!